Beginner Complete n00b. Photos are very noisy.

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Speedy80

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Hi,

I have a Panasonic FZ82 4k camera.

I was quite surprised out of the box that the photos are very grainy, especailly given they're 4k.

Is there something wrong with my camera or is it just because I'm a complete beginner and don't know what the heck I'm doing?

some examples.

QkLQpHn.jpg


VxwZqgG.jpg


VFpjBdA.jpg



And can anyone recommend a good beginners photography guide. Apologies for creating a topic like this. I should really do some proper research instead of imeediately asking for help but will hit the ground running once this problem is sorted.

Many thanks
 
What were the settings used for these images? As the ISO increases noise will be introduced.
 
Playdohh said:
What were the settings used for these images? As the ISO increases noise will be introduced.
Click to expand...

Hi,

I reset to default settings before the photos were taken.

They were taken using the autofocus. I did try focusing manually but need to get used to it.
 
It's hard to say really. You took these on a full day and the subjects you chose made the camera work really hard.

Try again in better lighting conditions. Whilst you are waiting, stick your camera name into YouTube and see what tutorials come up.

Also there are bazillions of videos to watch about composition exposure and stuff which will teach you a lot more than just reading what we type here.

Good luck and just take plenty of photos, experience will help you massively. Click click click!
 
To get the most out of your camera, I would start by having a look at this thread, and trying their suggestions of setting base (minimum) ISO to reduce noise, and minimum sharpening and minimum noise reduction to reduce artefacts:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4163062

Also set the picture size and quality to the maximum settings, as explained on p176 of the manual:

ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/camera/om/dc-fz80_en_adv_om.pdf

Then go out and have another go in better light and let us know how you get on. Later on you may also want to experiment with shooting raw files, as also discussed in the dpreview thread.
 
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Were these taken in auto mode?

It looks almost like a painterly filter of some kind. There's a setting wrong somewhere, unless these were taken in near darkness.
 
I’d start by looking at the type of file your saving. The noise looks more like heavy compression to me.

Make sure your camera is set to take the biggest file size possible and fine. You may have chosen a lower sett8ng thinking you’ll be able to take more photos with you card, but to d9 that your image size and quality are reduced.
 
Your camera isn't much different to my Fz300. I'd definitely reset the settings. As mine isn't grainy. I'd also lock the ISO to no more than 400 on these cameras.
An image from mine
https://flic.kr/p/DaSTij
 
I have a Panasonic TZ80 which is excellent in good light - image quality is close to my Canon 80D - but in poor light is terrible.

I think your example pictures are at the lower limit of what your camera is capable of and needs to be used in good light to produce acceptable pictures.
 
hi
a couple of things
firstly taking pictures of black dogs is REALLY tricky in anything other than great light for me. Maybe i'm a noob too!
First things to do with these cameras in my opinion is turn of digital zoom. it does you no favours.

Find a guide for looking at the EXIF data, especially the ISO settings for each photo. that will help with your question too.
 
Speedy80 said:
Hi,

I reset to default settings before the photos were taken.

They were taken using the autofocus. I did try focusing manually but need to get used to it.
Click to expand...

Your images are similar to what my Panasonic TZ55 produces, your camera like mine has a tiny little 1/2.3 inch sensor. The images are more mushy than grainy, even in good light images will still be on the mushy side. I no longer use my Panasonic for this reason. I bought a couple of cameras with much bigger sensors.
 
jonbeeza said:
Your images are similar to what my Panasonic TZ55 produces, your camera like mine has a tiny little 1/2.3 inch sensor. The images are more mushy than grainy, even in good light images will still be on the mushy side. I no longer use my Panasonic for this reason. I bought a couple of cameras with much bigger sensors.
Click to expand...

Yes, the tiny sensor is at the heart of it, combined with flat lighting, under exposure and over-processing.

Manufacturers of megazoom compact cameras like the Panazonic TZ55 (24-480mm full-frame equivalent) and phone-cams too, like to conceal the true size of the sensor by quoting historic and irrelevant specifications used for old TV cameras. The actual size of a 1/2.3in sensor is 6.16x4.6mm that would fit on your little finger nail. TBH they can do some pretty amazing things but the sensor in a full-frame camera is 24x36mm with 31x the image area. At the end of the day physics is physics and larger sensors just collect way more light - the basic raw material we work with.
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes, the tiny sensor is at the heart of it, combined with flat lighting, under exposure and over-processing.

Manufacturers of megazoom compact cameras like the Panazonic TZ55 (24-480mm full-frame equivalent) and phone-cams too, like to conceal the true size of the sensor by quoting historic and irrelevant specifications used for old TV cameras. The actual size of a 1/2.3in sensor is 6.16x4.6mm that would fit on your little finger nail. TBH they can do some pretty amazing things but the sensor in a full-frame camera is 24x36mm with 31x the image area. At the end of the day physics is physics and larger sensors just collect way more light - the basic raw material we work with.
Click to expand...
You explained it much better than I ever could.
 
Perhaps reshoot the above shots in goodnight and post them up with the exif for both to allow comparison?
 
mrjmt said:
Perhaps reshoot the above shots in goodnight and post them up with the exif for both to allow comparison?
Click to expand...

He needs a bit more experience before shooting while asleep! ;)
 
jonbeeza said:
Your images are similar to what my Panasonic TZ55 produces, your camera like mine has a tiny little 1/2.3 inch sensor. The images are more mushy than grainy, even in good light images will still be on the mushy side. I no longer use my Panasonic for this reason. I bought a couple of cameras with much bigger sensors.
Click to expand...

I dont know, it's not that bad a sensor, these were taken with a TZ60 in far from ideal conditions and minimal processing and dont think they look that bad.

High & Dry by Steve Bennett, on Flickr

Stranded by Steve Bennett, on Flickr

Hopefully will give the OP a little faith that with a bit of practice and knowledge, his camera will provide some reasonable results.
 
Steve B said:
I dont know, it's not that bad a sensor, these were taken with a TZ60 in far from ideal conditions and minimal processing and dont think they look that bad.

High & Dry by Steve Bennett, on Flickr

Stranded by Steve Bennett, on Flickr

Hopefully will give the OP a little faith that with a bit of practice and knowledge, his camera will provide some reasonable results.
Click to expand...

Images from my Panasonic TZ55 are slightly mushy and poor quality, images from my Fuji X10 are good quality. Images from my Nikon D3300 are excellent quality. Some people can see the difference in image quality, while others can't.
 
The OPs images look like they may have been cropped and enlarged, does this camera have a 'digital zoom'?
 
jonbeeza said:
Images from my Panasonic TZ55 are slightly mushy and poor quality, images from my Fuji X10 are good quality. Images from my Nikon D3300 are excellent quality. Some people can see the difference in image quality, while others can't.
Click to expand...

Looks like the TZ55 might have been a bit variable with quality, there seem to be a fair few reports of poor image quality for that camera.

Sorry we seem to be drifting a bit off topic here, to bring it back, I can thoroughly recommend Graham Houghton's youtube channel for learning how to get the best out of Panasonic cameras. Lots of tips and knowledge in an easy to understand format;

https://m.youtube.com/user/ghough12
 
Steve B said:
Looks like the TZ55 might have been a bit variable with quality, there seem to be a fair few reports of poor image quality for that camera.

Sorry we seem to be drifting a bit off topic here, to bring it back, I can thoroughly recommend Graham Houghton's youtube channel for learning how to get the best out of Panasonic cameras. Lots of tips and knowledge in an easy to understand format;

https://m.youtube.com/user/ghough12
Click to expand...

Good job it is easy to understand, should be OK for people new to photography then. ;)
 
jonbeeza said:
Good job it is easy to understand, should be OK for people new to photography then. ;)
Click to expand...

Not just beginners, I used one of his videos to convert a Panasonic compact to infrared and another to repair a jammed up lens. That aside it is an excellent resource for anybody using Panasonic gear.
 
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